Google Refuses Turkey's Requests to Yank YouTube Videos

Move is Latest Sign of Resistance to a Crackdown Against Social Media led by the Prime Minister

By

Sam Schechner and

Emre Peker

March 21, 2014 5:10 p.m. ET

Google Inc. has declined Turkish government requests to remove YouTube videos alleging government corruption, people familiar with the matter said, the latest sign of resistance to a crackdown against social media led by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkish authorities have in recent weeks asked Google to block the videos from YouTube's Turkish website, the people familiar with the matter said. But amid a national...